meluchja

I thought the same thing. I'm not 100% sure he picked it up at my sisters, just thought more likely. But I did read in winter it can feed on it's host for up to 21 days and up to 6 in summer, but I could have read a dodgy site, don't know.

My 15 month old, came home tonight after spending the last 12 days with my parents as we went on holidays. I found a tick on the lower part of his neck, and after googling we are pretty sure it's a paralysis tick. I rang the emergency vet, who said to just monitor him throughout the night, as he is showing no signs yet of poisioning. We removed the tick, and used Fidos tick rinse. So no futher posioning should occur. We had a vet appointment for him in the morning anyway for his annual vacc. So she said just to check on him throughout the night and take the tick with us to his appointment tomorrow. I have since read that this tick in winter can engorge itself for up to 21 days on it hosts before dropping off and laying eggs. We are pretty sure he would have picked it up when they went to visit my sister in Esk, which is a small country town. They came home 6 days ago after being there for 4 days. Which means the tick could have been on him for 6-10days. It is approx. 7-8mm in diameter. Creamy body with the little brown crown on it's head end, all legs up the front end, with a darkish rim around its body. I'm really worried for what the future may bring for him. I guess I will know more tomorrow once we are at the vets. Has anyone been in a similar situation??? How long did it take for your dog to show symptoms? How long did the symptoms last? Did you dog need to be hospitalised? My poor boy

I know Big Dog, do an immune booster called Booster.

Great ideas guys thanks. I guess, slightly cooking the extras instead of it being Raw is in a way just like kibble really isn't it? My vet thinks it might be more of a case of a weak immuse system reagarding him not tolerating the raw. But we are slowly working on that and he is getting better. He has had a few issue with bad skin and itchiness. But definately getting better. Which is why I always add an Immune Booster to all his food, it definately works. But since he has been getting better, we have notice that chix causes him most grief and itching. Which is why I had to change him off Black Hawk. And let me tell you all, it's soooooooooooo hard to find a kibble that doesn't contain any chix what so ever. Which is why I'm really hoping this one I have put him on works. I think I will continue to add the natures gift, home made mixture and a cottage cheese with freshly ground flaxseed mixture. He won't touch sardines (don't blame him), egg (which I think I will avoid being from a chix). Would love some more suggestion though, so please keep them coming

He always seems to vomit raw meat. So thought I thought slightly cooking it is better. Not sure why he does it, but have just come to the conclusion he doesn't tolerate it very well. Might change when he is older, so will keep offering it to him every now and then. But without fail so far, he throws it straight back up. Mine used to chuck Roo meat. I had to eliminate that from her diet. She was fine without that. See if it a particular meat that offends or if it is all of them. Yeah it seems to be all, I have tried Roo, Fish, Veal, Lamb, Chix, Beef, Turkey and even Rabbit. But if I slightly cook them all he is fine with all of them, except Chix which really seems to upset him. He is strange I know.

What is Livamol??? The omega blend I add to the mixture I make has Vitamin E, A and D already added.

He always seems to vomit raw meat. So thought I thought slightly cooking it is better. Not sure why he does it, but have just come to the conclusion he doesn't tolerate it very well. Might change when he is older, so will keep offering it to him every now and then. But without fail so far, he throws it straight back up.

She had a great innings too. I think 11 years for a larger dog is a great run. I hope my boy lives a life like that. Thanks, I was hoping what we are feeding him is fine, but thought I'd ask for opinions as I like to consider other opinions, to confirm my own if that makes sense, or is it just silly???

I was wondering if by adding natures gift canned food, or by adding some lightly cooked meat (roo or lamb), canned salmon, sweet potato, a health booster and omgea blend would unbalance a premium kibble. I know it's not necessary, but like to add something to his night time feed for variety. It also seems to help his stools, I'm not sure why but it does. Do you think this does more harm than good? E.T.A The natures gift canned I add, is the Kangaroo meat, vitamins and minerals thats it. And I should also mention that he is currently being fed Earthborn holistic Ocean Fusion. He loves the added stuff, and only gets it at night time. Do you think this will create problems.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Well he is doing really well on the new food. I just used the new food, and added a little of the natures gift canned which he sometimes normally gets, and he has been very good. Stools are back to normal, and he loves it, eats every last bit, which is always a plus for my dog as he has never really be fussed on any kibble. Black Hawk was the first he ate which he seemed to like, so I'm glad he likes this one. I know it's early days but he seems to be doing less stools as well. When he was on Black Hawk he would do up to 5 a day, and he has only been doing about 2 since the new food. So fingers crossed his itchy problems will be a thing of the past now he is on a chicken free food, as we suspect it's the chicken in the food that causes him to itch. Which is why I tried taking him off the Black Hawk because of the chix fat. Not sure if I will put him back on it, if this one doesn't work out. I'm hoping this works. Fingers crossed. Thanks again for your help.

R.I.P beautiful girl. I had been thinking about you and your girl all morning, I'm so sorry she didn't make it, but also glad it was quick for her. Take care

Oh no, poor old girl. I hope your o.k as well. Fingers crossed they are wrong. How old is she?

Thank you, good idea. He is normally o.k. with the natures gift. Might try him on it with a little bit of the Earthborn Ocean fusion over the next few days and monitor him closely. If he stuggles I think I will do the chicken and rice diet, before trying again. Fingers crossed this one works out, he seems to really like it, which is a good start. I've had such trouble trying to find a kibble with no chicken or chicken fat, actually I have only found 2. So I'm really hoping this one works out. Hence the reason I don't want to stuff it up from the beginning. thanks for your help.

Need some advice on changing my dogs food, when he has had a recent upset tummy from a food change. His stools are much better, but still not 100%, just the last half is a a little too soft. I trialed him on a Grain free food, hasn't worked out, so wanted to change him onto another food. Do I still use the food that has upset his tummy to gradually change over, or do I just use the new food? I had a thought, of using just the new food, but just the same small amounts as if I was mixing it with the old, but maybe adding some of the natures gift canned that I would add sometimes. Would this be o.k?

O.K so I gave up on the Grain Free version, as his stools weren't improving still half good half sloppy, so I swaped it over for the fish one. But I'm hoping someone can help me but confirming something for me. Do I just swap over without using any of the GF formula, as he already has an upset tummy, or do I still use it to gradually change over. The store I bought it off said, stop the GF all together, and just use the new one. I can sort of see why I should do this, but just want to make sure. Do I add some canned natures gift to the new one if I just use it on it's own? which is what I was doing to the GF to help solidify his poos, well that an cutting back the amount, which worked. Any help would be great, thanks.

What are you feeding? Maybe it dosnt agree with your dog,id you change food gradualy so dog could adjust? Maybe feed some raw as well eg chicken, beef bones etc Yeah I changed him over gradually over about 5 days. He has been on Earthborn Primitive now exclusively for about 2 days. His last poo was good, but I think that's cause I dropped back the amount I fed him last night. He can't tolerate Raw, he always vomits after it, but he can keep it down when I cook it a little. Maybe I should do half kibble half homemade.

How accurate are feeding guides? I'm having some issues with a new food that I'm giving my boy. It's a grainfree food, and I have read that too much of it can cause black sloppy poos. The feeding guide says for his weight to feed him about 1 cup. But if I feed him anymore than about 1/2 cup a day his poos go black and sloppy. I'm worried though, it's just not enough. I'm aware you adjust the amount you feed according to your dog, but by half???? Or could it just be, the food isn't agreeing with him??? Should I stick it out with this food or change??? I would love to know from all of you, how much you feed your dogs compared to what is guided by the manufacturer?

Yay for Koda, glad to hear she is better again.

I'll second that, very helpful and very generous.

Thank you for your opinions. I have tried the Salmon Grain Free Canidae before but my dog wouldn't touch it, would go a few days with no food. But I have also tried sardines to other kibble he will normally eat and he won't touch it. Same goes with the EP fish kibble, so think it's the fish that he doesn't like. My only concern with the grain free kibble was the nutritional levels. But the more reading I do, the more I think it should be o.k. I can get the big bag of Earthborn Holistic 12.6kg (I think), for $95. So think I will buy a bag. My dog loved the sample we got. Thanks again for you help.

Really, it was my local vet who put doubts in my mind. But when they suggested Science Diet is best, I didn't really listen anymore, just nodded politely ;) But was going to make my own opinion anyway. Can I ask which Grain Free they are using? Artemis, Canidae or Earthborn? I wish we had more variety here.

Just wondering what the general opinions of grain free kibbles are. I know they are higher in protein and fat, but as you have to feed less, would this be a problem? Any opinions would be appreciated.

Can I ask what benefits there are using a dog dryer vs a regular hand help human hair dryer? I groom my own boy, and just use my own hair dryer set on the lowest heat function. I'm careful not to over dry his coat. I have never looked into a dog dryer before, but thinking it might be something I should look into.

OH he is adorable, I agree with the others, he definately looks more pure than cross to me. I remember another member not too long ago asking the exact same thing about one of her kelpies. I think the dogs name was Elbie or something similiar. I think she was told it can be normal during the growing phase. I remember someone suggesting it could be teeth related/ And from memory, I think they pricked back up, not 100% sure though. Either way though, you have one super cute puppy there.

I have been wanting to buy a new slicker brush, as the one I have I think is far too hard. So I'm after a new one that is nice and soft, but good quality. Would you recommend a brand? I also need a small one.